Going down to Krabi Town

After 5 full days in Bangkok, we were ready to head to the beach. The question was, do we take a bus, the train, or do we fly? At $84-ish/ticket for a 1000km journey, we opted for excessive carbon burning -- so off we flew with AirAsia whose motto is, "Now everyone can fly!" Given the long journey it was a good choice at the beginning of our travel experience within Thailand with the kids. As the journey progresses, we will challenge them a little bit more with gruelling road-trips and loud long-tail boat rides.

The morning of our flight down to Krabi (Monday the 26th) began with a slow pack-up and some lounging by the pool (hottest day yet) before arranging for a taxi. Once we had our taxi, we had to do a little haggling over the cost to the airport -- when we were all happy, in we climbed only to have Skye sit squarely on top of a little, ripe Thai banana which smooshed all over her bum! Pippin thought this was hilarious, Skye less so, given we were going to the airport. Over the course of the next hour, the bum of Skye's pants proceeded to turn a nice, dark brown. Lovely . . . in Asia where tummy troubles are common, it looked like Skye was suffering from "Delhi Belly."

We arrived in Krabi to the most unbelievably balmy, silky air and temperature -- all of the gross Bangkok air behind us. Krabi is a very sweet little town with a mellow vibe. Kai in particular felt like it was a more manageable pace. One can cross the road here without feeling like you might die. Since we've been here we took advantage of some amenities, like a laundry service, internet cafes and banking before we start island hopping.

Thai people have been generous, friendly, helpful, and the kids keep commenting on how much they are enjoying interacting with the locals. It is definitely true that as a family people immediately respond to us with big smiles and attempts at interaction and communication. People also love to give our children little gifts, and will not accept payment (food treats, little trinkets, etc.) This is so encouraging given how many tourists come through these areas every year.

Last night we ate at the local Night Market -- a bustling daily event with numerous stalls all offering some local, delicious food choices. You choose the stall where you want to eat at, you order, and then they show you to a table near their stall and bring you the delectable food. Great people watching opportunities and once again the kids loved the food despite its exotic nature. This constantly surprises and amazes us because we all know that kids can be fussy about what they will eat.


The other lovely aspect of life here is how things come alive after dark because it is the most lovely time of day -- it is balmy, the bugs have diminished, and everyone is out eating and socializing. Little kids in their pyjamas, young students in big social gatherings, families, the elderly, etc. all out enjoying the best time of day. This aspect of people being out and about makes Thailand feel so inviting and safe.

This morning we are heading off for Railay Beach which will be more touristy, but we are ready for some days of just kicking back on the beach and swimming in turquoise waters.


Until next time,

Skye, Ronato, Kai & Pippin

P.S. For those less technologically savvy, double-clicking on the images will give you an enlarged, more detailed view.